Polarized electromagnetic relays with a swingable armature pivoted at its center are known, for example, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,695,813. This known design comprises a center pivoted armature resting atop a permanent magnet which spans two interconnected pole pieces. In this known relay, the balanced armature is connected to a pair of movable contact springs each being formed with a transversely extending torsion pivot arm which is fixedly connected to a portion of a casing. In particular, the pivot arms serve as electrical connections for the respective contact springs and are connected to respective terminals mounted on the casing.
This design approach has been implemented in relays best suited for applications containing relatively low load currents, such as telecommunication equipment. At such levels, the connection between the movable contacts and the movable terminal can be made via a current carrying spring member. However, due to the pivoting motion of the armature, the spring must be designed to be sufficiently pliable to prevent the generation of excessive torsion forces, as well as to prevent fatigue related failures. As a result, the connecting spring member must be designed with a relatively small cross section area, thus limiting its current carrying capacity. That means, the torsion pivot arms of the known relay are not capable of conducting power currents as occur in automotive or general purpose applications; in addition, said pivot arms reduce the contact forces resulting from the attraction exerted by the permanent magnet onto the armature.